Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-07-21


was papered, and that at the marriage
of Dolly Cuthbertson, the eldest
daughter, all the wood they burned
that night was first sawed and planned;
while once, when the Major was sick,
some one going in found the wife sit
ting beside his bedside crying with her
white kid gloves on. In short the
Cuthbertsons were regarded as the
great family of the neighborhood, and
the Bradshaws may be considered next
in social rank, and were always on the
most friendly terms, while Asher and
little Mercy Cuthbertson were play
mates from childhood, went together
to school taught by the ancient maiden
lady at Stanberry Center; hunted in
company on holidays for flowers or
nuts, as the season might be; and
once, when Mercy, missing her foot
ing, fell into the river, Asher, then but
a boy plunged in and saved her at the
risk of his own life; all of which
seemed to bind their friendship the
| firmer.
"But, by and by, Mercy began to
grow from child into tall, slender
girl, and then was sent away to school
at Boston, while Asher remained at
home to fit himself for college under
the tutorship of the Stanberry min
lister. And every time she returned,
it seemed to Asher that she was fairer
and more stately than before, and a
strange shyness and reserve took the
place of the old frank comradeship, as
ne realized that his affection for the
child had changed into love for the
woman Mercy. And as for Mercy,
when Asher, grown so tall and manly,
DOTTED his hat to her with old-fash-
Toned ceremony, the color would flush
her cheeks deeper pink; and as she
courtesied demurely in return, it was
with futtering of her heart against
its satin stomacher, while their talk
changed from its former freedom and
gayety, to such formal topics as had he
heard whether ship had lately
arrived at Boston from Englandf
or how did she enjoy the poems Of
Mistress Anne Dudly, the tenth muse
which he had lent herP l have seen a
miniature of Mercy Cuthbertson,
painted at the age when Asher Brad
shaw was worshipping her afar of. A
delicate, high-bred face, set with GER
tain proud poise on her slender neck,
a dimpled, fine-curved mouth, soft
dark eyes, and fringe of loose curlS
falling about the broad, white forehead.
A picture that proved Asher did moi
need to regard her with partial eyes tC
call her beautiful. Of course, though
Stanberry was but small place, it wa;
not without its mild festivities. High
teas in the low, Colonial parlors; and
now and then a country ball where the
beaux in queues, ruflles and small
clothes, and the bellies in powdered
hair and stiff brocades, danced the
stately minuet, and where nee(
hardly say Mercy Cuthbertson, who
smiled impartially on all, to the despair
of Asher, was never in want of ;
partner.
J "But another and more absorbing
subject than poetry and m erry-makins
began to fill the public mind; the frs
low but portenteous murmur Of thu
storm so soon to burst, and companies
Sons of Liberty began to be formed
and such words as taxation 'equa
rights and freedom began to be Otter
on mems lips. And as the agitation
increased and deepened, and lines O
feeling became more defined, many al
, intimacy was sundered, and friendship
alienated and affection quenched, as
neighbors found themselves on oppo
site sides, and too often members O.
the same household at variance on the
great question. Stanberry was no ex
ception to this rule, for Major Cuth
bertson had been an officer in the King
army, and counted disloyality to hi
Sovereign as almost sin against higl
!, Heaven; and Squire Bradshaw hello
with equal tenacity, that to stand fol
the defense of the Colonies was TIN
I supreme duty of patriot; Will,
a Asher, when the alarm sounded from
r Concord, fastened to don the Cont
a mental uniform, and gather his fellow
| into n onp,napu
q During these stirring events he ha
seen but little of Mercy; but the separ
2 alton only made her the dearer, and h
4 felt that he could not go out to danger
+ and it might be to death, withou
speaking the words of which his hear
!. was full. So, one May evening h
/. walked up to the door OF the red-bric
4 house, between the bordering rows c
, prim, then starry with the white bios
SONS, and lifted the carved bras
: knocker on the great door, and wa
shown through the long hall wains
coted in oak, and with floor and stair
waxed and polished to almost marble
q like smoothness and brilliancy, into tn
, parlor where Mercy Cuthbertson, in
r pale blue lustering, sat at her spinne
: And so, with the scent of prim and |
q lac coming in at the window, and til
+ portraits of the proud old Cuthber
o sons looking coldly down on him frol
I the walls, Asher Bradshaw told h
" love.
= "And, as Mercy Cuthbertson listene'
the blush that had shown itself at fir
a died away, while light kindled in hi
q dark eyes, and when he finished 81
drew herself up to her full height, {
= stately as aqueen, and there was thri
in her tone that might have been of pal
II had not the Indignation been strong
" as she answered: Sir, l have no lov
Nv to give a man who is disloyal to b
onJ onunt - ipcttlt IN